Fall 2015 Catchup Part 5

With the heavy lifting out of the way, (i.e. planning Nick's life out,) Nick seemed to relax and start enjoying the simpler things in life.  Caspian came home early from school the day before because he threw up.  He went to bed early, slept like a rock, and the next morning when I came downstairs I found these two boys looking very happy and healthy.

The rule is, a child isn;t allowed back to school for 24 hours after a throwing up incident, so Caspian found himself hanging out with the big kids while his sister was at school.

So we went exploring.  Grenada Dam.

Civil War sites.  This was a hilltop where the southern forces dug in for a time.  The setting was so...intimate.  The opposing forces would have easily been able to make eye contact as they fired on each other.  

I let these smiles wash all those aspects of humanity from my mind.

The three local Army Corps lakes are being let down to build up capacity for the spring floods, (these lakes were built as flood control measures for the Mississippi,) and we were able to drive out into the lakebed to look around.

Family dinner.

Godfather and godson.

u.c.Nick showing us what all his international yoga practice is good for.

And then we drove Nick to the train station and waited an hour with him in the drizzle for a train that was very late.

Eventually we gave up and left him there.  After hugs, some better than others.

We were back home by the time the train arrived to pick him up and carry him south to New Orleans.

Back home, to a house empty of guests for the first time in a bit, we piled into bed for some r and r.

And this is how we spent the rest of the day. 

Of course and afternoon and evening of idleness meant the next day we had to DO something.  

Alexe, proudly holding part of this year's crop of lemons.

Alexe decided to dig out the flower bed behind the house and severely improve the soil conditions in it.

With four shovels going we made quick work of it.  We put a base layer of mulch down in the bottom of the bed, and felt very accomplished.

Which meant we could get back in our jammies.  

This was an epic game of Uno.  Not sure what was going on with Caspian, but he was hyper on a level that had him running across the house and back between every turn.  

This must have been the next evening.  I can tell because he's sitting still, and his pjs are a different color.